Kael Renforth's keen eyes caught the numbers on the financial report from several meters away.
Though still far from the others, his sharp vision made it clear—this wasn't just a mistake.
Deven must've had a gym teacher for math!
A flicker of embarrassment flashed across Kael's face.
"Looks like there's been a little mix-up with the numbers…"
Eldrin Denvair, already seething from Kael's previous provocations, seized the opportunity to strike.
"Mix-up?" Eldrin sneered, storming forward to snatch the report. He held it aloft, waving it in front of everyone with exaggerated triumph.
"This!" he declared loudly, turning to the Denvair family.
"This is the real Kael Renforth! A liar through and through!"
The room murmured with growing intensity as Eldrin continued his tirade.
"For years, he's been deceiving us! Who knows how many lies he's told? For all we know, he might have deserted his post five years ago and crawled back here when he had nowhere else to go!"
Eldrin's accusations grew more outrageous with every word. The room buzzed with the heated atmosphere he had stirred up.
"Enough!"
Lyria's sharp voice cut through the noise, her brows knitted in anger. She stepped forward, fixing Kael with a stern gaze.
"Kael Renforth, explain yourself. What is this about thirty billion?"
The room fell silent.
"Th-Thirty billion?" Eldrin stammered, his smirk vanishing as he hastily reexamined the report. His eyes widened in disbelief as he counted the zeroes again and again. His triumphant demeanor deflated like a punctured balloon.
The family matriarch shot to her feet, her expression frozen in astonishment. She snatched the report from Eldrin's limp hands, scrutinizing it carefully.
The numbers didn't lie. Thirty billion.
No one dared speak as the weight of the revelation settled over the room.
Kael cleared his throat lightly, his tone apologetic yet calm.
"Lyria, I'll explain everything when we get home…"
Men's promises—their words are often smoke and mirrors.
But for now, the immediate crisis had been resolved.
The thirty billion not only stabilized the company but opened the door to bold new opportunities.
Lyria felt like she'd been through a whirlwind, her thoughts spinning in confusion.
"Fine," she said at last, her tone exasperated. "But you'd better have a good explanation."
"Ms. Denvair," one of the staff ventured cautiously, "what about the surplus funds?"
Lyria's face returned to its composed, businesslike demeanor.
"Return the rest," she replied simply.
The matriarch's eyes lit up at the mention of the surplus.
Eldrin's thoughts wandered, fixating on the fortune that could revive the Denvair family's former glory.
"Lyria!" The matriarch's voice turned uncharacteristically warm, as she reached out to clasp her granddaughter's hands. Her overly saccharine tone was unsettling to everyone present.
"Denvair Enterprises is saved?"
Lyria nodded with a faint smile.
"Grandmother, the crisis has been resolved."
The matriarch's grip tightened, her voice suddenly syrupy.
"Sweet child, with such an incredible fortune, couldn't we… use a little to help the other family businesses? They're struggling too, you know."
Lyria hesitated, instinctively looking toward Kael. The money belonged to him, after all. It wasn't her decision to make.
Eldrin jumped at the opportunity, his voice oozing false sincerity.
"We're all family here! What's the harm in lending it out? With this, the Denvair family could reclaim its rightful place in society. Imagine the good news this would bring!"
Kael's polite smile froze. A glint of icy sharpness flashed in his eyes as he turned to Eldrin. His piercing gaze alone was enough to silence any further protests.
"That can wait," Kael said coolly. "First, let's settle our wager."
His voice was steady, each word hitting Eldrin like a hammer.
The room tensed.
"Well… there's no need to take it so seriously," Eldrin stammered, his bravado crumbling.
The matriarch, sensing the growing tension, stepped in quickly to diffuse the situation.
"It was just a family disagreement—no need to make it a big deal!"
Kael turned his calm yet unyielding gaze on her, a faint smirk curling at the corner of his lips.
"'A man's word is like a nail driven into wood,'" Kael repeated, echoing the matriarch's earlier words. "'Once spoken, it must be honored. Otherwise, what's left of a man's dignity?'"
The matriarch froze, her face twisting awkwardly as her own words were thrown back at her.
She had no response.
Eldrin paled, the enormity of his situation sinking in. He had wagered himself out of Port Avallon, believing Kael incapable of backing his bold claim.
But now, with thirty billion on the table, his defeat was undeniable.
If the roles were reversed, the family wouldn't have hesitated to exile Kael forever. But now that the tables had turned?
Kael's smile didn't falter as he watched the room descend into an uneasy silence.